In the context of digital transformation and demographic challenges, professional sports leagues face the need to revise management paradigms. The aim of the study is to develop a conceptual model of strategic entrepreneurship for the Kontinental Hockey League that ensures sustainability through the implementation of human-centric technologies. The methodology includes benchmarking with European leagues, analysis of secondary data (financial reporting of clubs, Hockey League regulations), and expert assessments. The result is a three-level model (League , Clubs , Individuals) implementing the principle of «smart centralization»: functions with scale effects are centralized at the league level, operational decisions are decentralized to the club level. For the first time, coaches are included in the «Individuals» level on par with players as an equivalent human capital of the ecosystem. The scientific novelty lies in the integration of dynamic capabilities and human-centric management concepts in the context of professional sports. Practical significance: the model provides tools for improving the financial sustainability of clubs through growing fan loyalty and reducing operational risks.
Ivan Balandin (Tue,) studied this question.